What women want in superhero comics

I'm chiming in on this, just for fun. Obviously most women don't want anything in comics because they don't read them, aren't interested in reading them, and are an entirely unattainable market. This is also true of most men. So comics aren't going to do well by trying to figure out what a mainstream audience--male or female--likes, because that audience isn't going to be interested in comics anyway.

But the women who already like comics? Or who are fringe enough to maybe be interested in them, or at least not opposed to the notion of being interested in them? Didn't someone say that Marvel or DC estimates that 10% of their current readership is already female? You know, 10% may be a small number, but it isn't that small. It's statistically significant.

But I'm not going to talk about what even that comic-friendly subgroup of women want in comics, because it's still too broad a topic. I'm going to be more specific. Specific as in talking about myself. :)

Demographically, I'm not a typical reader, age and gender-wise. But in terms of my comic choices, I'm pretty mainstream--I like superhero books, Marvel in particular but have added some DC to my list over the last year or two. I have no idea whether my own reasons for reading comics are anything like other folks' reasons--nostalgia plays a part in it, in the sense that I tend to follow books and characters I've read for years, to read what I have always read, although I certainly add to that pool of material. I also like the basic superhero concept, the flying and the invisibility and the repeated blows to the head that miraculously do not result in serious head injury.

Women comic fans already like comics. I already like comics. I am already predisposed to like comics. When I pick up a comic, I expect to enjoy it, in the sense that I have a positive view of comics and the idea always in the back of my head that they are fun. That much of the work has already been done, in my case by way of years and years of superhero comic reading.

So, what I want in comics?

Interesting characters. It helps if they're characters I "know" but it's not essential; I will however give more leeway to a book featuring a character I like, or a book I've read for a good long time. Just like I'll take more crap from a friend of long standing than I will someone I've met only recently. In either case there'll come a point when enough is enough, but that point is further away for the familiar. I don't really have brand loyalty in the sense of "I read Marvel" but it does happen that most of the books and characters I have a history with are Marvel properties, which I suppose works out to about the same result. So, yes, Marvel has to work less hard for my money than DC does, but they do have to work. So, both good new characters, and further development of characters I already enjoy.

Good character interaction. This is probably the reason I have always favored team books. Or books with a strong supporting cast for the main character (Captain America right now, and Iron Man has been that way in the past--remember Mrs. Arbogast?--but I do like Sal Kennedy from the current title). The way the characters relate to each other is important.

Art that doesn't interfere with the story. Although I have a greater appreciation for the art now than I did as a kid, I still think of the words as more important. But good comic art does more than just illustrate the words; good art adds to the meaning within the story as well. Although I like it when it's pretty, I can tolerate average art--it's just not the main selling point for me. What I can't tolerate is art that confuses the narrative.

Decent plots. Okay, I've been reading comics for years, and I understand that when a story lasts for many months, you might end up with a few plot holes. I can live with that as long as the holes are relatively small. But I do appreciate a nice tight plot. It's one of the reasons Captain America is my favorite title (and the main reason I buy both the floppies and the trades--the floppies because I seriously can't wait that long for a fix, and the trades because I know I'll be looking back to previous issues to see how everything fits together).

Comfort reading. This is where the nostalgia factor comes in, and it's one of the reasons I tend to like what I know. It isn't that I don't want to be challenged by what I read, it's just that that is secondary to this. One of the reasons I read comics is to de-stress. They relax me. (Even more than Nero Wolfe mysteries, and that's saying something.) Because it's not an either-or thing, you can have both in the same book. Please note that this does not mean that nothing must change in my favorite books. Civil War (apart from the delays) was just fine with me in this sense, because it featured a lot of my favorite characters. And while I may joke about Tony Stark's current jerkiness, I still like the guy and find him interesting and complex and (unfortunately for him) not entirely out of character.

Now, I do like it when there are women in my comics, but I don't think I buy based on gender particularly. I do buy Birds of Prey and Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk and Wonder Woman (at least I'll start getting it again in a few months). I don't buy Heroes for Hire or Manhunter or Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane. I was vaguely annoyed with Spider-Woman being the only female character in New Avengers, but that may well have been because of how she related to the men (the pheromone thing).

Some of what I read and why:

All-New Atom: Just a joyous, fun-filled comic book, the closest thing out there to the comics I loved as a kid. A fun character with a good supporting cast.

Birds of Prey: Good characterization and character interaction, plots that keep me coming back. I have not, however, "bonded" with the characters overall, and I'm not sure why.

Captain America: All-around excellence--story, plot, dialogue, characterization, and art. Besides, Sharon Carter, Nick Fury, Winter Soldier, and Falcon! Every month, most anticipated and first read.

Green Lantern Corps: Soranik Natu. That's pretty much it, and that's nothing against the rest of the cast, just that she is so outstanding. Possibly not a keeper in the long run.

Irredeemable Ant-Man: Totally unlike anything else on the stands (okay, so I don't actually get my comics off of stands, I get them in the mail) right now. He's the superhero that all too many of the guys I've known would have turned into. You just can't stop reading to see how low this guy will go.

Mighty Avengers: Well, for one thing I seem to get anything with "Avengers" in the title, at least for a try-out. :) I don't know how well I'll like this book, but it's strong enough on the characterization to hold me while this initial storyline (which I don't find enthralling--don't hate it but don't love it--so far) runs its course.

Moon Knight: For some reason I'm finding this book really compelling. I haven't read the old Moon Knight title, so I don't know his history as much as might be useful here, but this book holds my interest, in part because he is about the creepiest protagonist going.

Ms. Marvel: At this point Carol is riding on nostalgia equity (I haven't been disliking the book but I've sure been disliking the character), but I expect that to change now that Civil War is over.

New Avengers: I like the characters and want to see what happens to them. Plus they've got Hawkeye now, right? Always liked Hawkeye.

She-Hulk: I love the character and have ever since her Avengers days. Humor, good dialogue and characterization, and a wonderful supporting cast.

The Spirit: I'll admit that I picked this one up initially because of my fondness for the original Spirit, but it's held up surprisingly well. It's not the old Spirit, but it's something that seems to stand on its own. That said, it's not on the keep-at-all-costs list.